i'm not saying I agree with our signings (except Manu, who is by all means 'above average') though I will give them every chance
as a pretty ''young'' supporter maybe I don't see where you're coming from, but our dominant side that I grew up with had a very strong core of Saints academy players, did it not? or am I wrong? either way, i'm satisfied with the players we are producing such as Lomax, Makinson, Clough etc. in the last few years.
some of Wigan's most impressive performances that I saw last season were when the side was almost packed with academy players as you stated. what happened to the lad Mellor who (a few years ago) was the next big thing at half back? I thought that he would have been preferable to Smith.

In pre season 2010 Mellor sustained a major knee injury from which he never really recovered, and lost that bit of zip. I think smith will go o.k and will switch between 7 and 9 with Powell getting more game time next season.
As Ted has alluded to Hampshire and Williams are two England halfbacks who should be getting a game or two in the next two seasons (both only 17, or just turned 1icon_cool.gif

Someone asked what could we do with the money for Hock / Tomkins if they move on.

Wigan have just signed 11 players from unbeaten U16's side (the best junior side I have ever seen, plus the Welsh U16 RU captain), that investment in talent costs a lot of money. Time will tell if that investment bears fruit.

After watching hock on saturday; he was playing up for a move which he confirmed in the post match interview. Combining genius with out and out dirty play sucessfully is never easy and he doesn't even go close to achieving it.

He won't get away with his bully boy tactics in the NRL - they will flatten him unless he curbs it (and he does not seem capable of that).

That's up to Hock and I don't really care what he will get up to down under, what I do care is him giving away stupid spiteful penalties for England. It doesn't matter against the French as they are too poor to take advantage, but against NZ or Aus it will cost us matches. the same applies to ablett as well.

What about the Ellis "tackle"
If that wasn't a sending off then I don't know what was and worthy of at least a two game ban. However he has been freed to play on Sunday.
That's what drives a lot of RL fans crazy, the inconsistency.

I have said this a few times. OK saints could get a player like Ste Tyrer on a long contract and regret it. But there is nothing stopping them loaning them out if things don't turn out. Letting Players like Graham and Eastmond go on free transfers was criminal, there is no way to sugar coat it.

Back to Hock, I would be pretty miffed if I was Wigan. The club have treated him very well giving him a job while serving a ban, when many clubs would have cut and run. Then they played him for half a season with his fitness at rock bottom. When it comes to pay the club back he looks for the door. A pretty two faced thing to do in my opinion, transfer fee or no transfer fee.

Moving to NRL did wonders for Morley. He came back a different man. Who knows, same could happen to Hock.

That’s you and his Mam who believes in flying pigs then!

Sorry to say it will take a lot more than Hock being a good boy for England to beat either Oz or NZ.

Hock was in the last England team to beat the Aussies which was at the SFS in 2006.

Thought Hock looked like a player with his mind not fully on his rugby today. Maybe he's got his mind on his possible move to NRL.

if Hock plays Down Under the way he has played in the last 2 games, I suspect he will be spending a lot of time in the Sydney Cups, rather than the NRL.

Bobbie Goulding reckons his move to Australia has broken down, but that Hock has played his final game for Wigan and will most likely sign for Saints, Wire or Hull.

I'd hand my season ticket back to be honest.

I would take anything Goulding says with a pinch of salt, only last week he was saying Wilkin was going to Widnes in which he ended up with even Wilkin himself having a laugh at his expense. Bobby was a great player, But is turning into a mini John Stankevitch consitantly craving attention with rumours that you would expect off someone down at the pub.

The interview after the first france game kind of give it away Hock was leaving Wigan, and you cant help but think if he dosent go to Aus now he never will. Just because Parra are out of the equation, it wouldnt surprise me if he is under NRL teams radars.

For all his negative attributes, and with no disrespect to the player concerned but if Scott Moore can get a deal in the NRL, I would be surprised if Gaz Hock couldn't find any interested parties.

I cant see Eamonn going down that route, to be honest.

Bobbie Goulding on twitter could be a parody account really, most of the stuff he puts on on there is just idiotic. I dont know what is aim is, but he wont be doing himself any favours in getting a coaching job anywhere. I can only assume he is going down the Alex Murphy/Garry Schofield loud mouth idiot route to get himself some media work.